Getting a white screen with flashing ? folder.

Computer was humming, it got really loud. Computer froze so I turned it off on the back. Once turned on it gives a white screen with a flashing folder in the middle with a ? on it. This can continued through turning it off several times. Not sure what my next step should be?

Here is some information and troubleshooting steps to start with:
http://docs.info.apple.com/article.html?path=Mac/10.6/en/8966.html
https://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
To summarize, the question mark usually indicates that it cannot find a startup disk. One of the steps involved will be to start from the install disk and repair your hard disk, so - if you can - make sure that you have your important data backed up before starting with any of these tips.

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HT1553 I did the back up as instructed... Installed a larger hard drive and followed the restore instructions... Now I get a white screen with a folder icon and blinking question mark. When trying to set startup with new drive I get a bless tool error...

I did the back up as instructed... Installed a larger hard drive and followed the restore instructions... Now I get a white screen with a folder icon and blinking question mark. When trying to set startup with new drive I get a bless tool error... Help!!

If you have installed a new hard drive , you will need to have formatted it in Disk Utility correctly. This may explain your problem.
Boot into your 10.6 Install disk again at the top menubar > Utilities > select Disk utility and in there select your new hard drive, and select the tab Erase and choose to make the format as Mac OS Extended Journaled. When that is finished look in the main window to make sure that the partition map scheme says GUID Partition Table.
Now go to the Restore tab and reinstall from your backup.

My macbook pro has white screen with flashing folder.

my macbook pro has white screen with flashing folder.
i called the repair services and they say its hard disk problem
so i would like to ask everyone here if the problem would be solved if i just changed the original hard disk to a ssd myself or do i realy need to let them repair for me.
ps : i dont have warranty

See A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac. I would suggest you try reinstalling OS X.
If you are running Snow Leopard:
Reinstall OS X without erasing the drive
1. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions
Boot from your Snow Leopard Installer disc. After the installer loads select your language and click on the Continue button. When the menu bar appears select Disk Utility from the Utilities menu. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the installer.
If DU reports errors it cannot fix, then you will need Disk Warrior and/or Tech Tool Pro to repair the drive. If you don't have either of them or if neither of them can fix the drive, then you will need to reformat the drive and reinstall OS X.
2. Reinstall Snow Leopard
If the drive is OK then quit DU and return to the installer. Proceed with reinstalling OS X. Note that the Snow Leopard installer will not erase your drive or disturb your files. After installing a fresh copy of OS X the installer will move your Home folder, third-party applications, support items, and network preferences into the newly installed system.
Download and install Mac OS X 10.6.8 Update Combo v1.1.
If you are running Lion or Mountain Lion:
Reinstalling Lion/Mountain Lion Without Erasing the Drive
Boot to the Recovery HD: Restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the COMMAND and R keys until the menu screen appears. Alternatively, restart the computer and after the chime press and hold down the OPTION key until the boot manager screen appears. Select the Recovery HD and click on the downward pointing arrow button.
Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions: Upon startup select Disk Utility from the main menu. Repair the Hard Drive and Permissions as follows.
When the recovery menu appears select Disk Utility. After DU loads select your hard drive entry (mfgr.'s ID and drive size) from the the left side list. In the DU status area you will see an entry for the S.M.A.R.T. status of the hard drive. If it does not say "Verified" then the hard drive is failing or failed. (SMART status is not reported on external Firewire or USB drives.) If the drive is "Verified" then select your OS X volume from the list on the left (sub-entry below the drive entry,) click on the First Aid tab, then click on the Repair Disk button. If DU reports any errors that have been fixed, then re-run Repair Disk until no errors are reported. If no errors are reported click on the Repair Permissions button. Wait until the operation completes, then quit DU and return to the main menu.
Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion: Select Reinstall Lion/Mountain Lion and click on the Continue button.
Note: You will need an active Internet connection. I suggest using Ethernet if possible because it is three times faster than wireless.

White screen with flashing folder containing a question mark

I attempted to boot my MacBook and it is now only showing a white screen with a folder containing a question mark. I have only had the MacBook for less than 3 months. Help!!!!

There are four general causes of this issue:
1. The computer's PRAM no longer contains a valid startup disk setting when there aren't any problems with the disk itself. This can be checked for by pressing the Option key and seeing if the drive appears.
2. The internal drive's directory structure has become damaged. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to perform the repair.
3. Critical system files have been deleted. This requires usage of an alternate bootable system to reinstall them.
4. The internal drive has died or become unplugged. This is the most likely case if the computer took a sharp impact or there are unusual sounds coming from its location.
(102241)

MacBook Pro can turn on and off, but does not start up. Stays on white screen with flashing folder icon, does not go to desktop.

MacBook Pro is not starting up. It just stays on a white screen with a flashing folder icon. Have tried restarting while holding the Option key, and the cursor becomes visible and movable, but it does not go to the desktop.

Hello Sonya_Rose,
I found this article when researching the issue you describe here named A flashing question mark appears when you start your Mac found http://support.apple.com/kb/ts1440.
Check the mouse and keyboard
This issue might occur if a mouse or trackpad button is pressed during startup. Make sure the button isn't pressed.
If the issue persists, shut down your Mac with its power button, disconnect any external mouse and keyboard, then turn on your Mac with its power button. If the flashing question mark issue persists, reconnect the keyboard and mouse.
Additional steps
If your Mac still starts to a flashing question mark, follow the steps below. If any step resolves the issue, you don't need to continue to the next one.
Select your Mac OS X startup disk with Startup Manager by restarting and holding the Option key. After your Mac starts up, restart again to verify that the flashing question mark does not appear.
If the issue persists, insert your Mac OS X installation disc. Be sure to either use the disc that came with your Mac, or, if you installed a later Mac OS X version from disc, use the newer disc.
MacBook Air note: On a MacBook Air, there are two options for starting up from Mac OS X media: Either connect a MacBook Air SuperDrive to the MacBook Air via the USB port and restart the computer, holding down the C key during startup, or use Remote Install Mac OS X to startup from a system software DVD that's located on a partner computer. Once started up from Mac OS X media, skip to step 3.
Restart the computer, then hold the C key during startup.
From the Utilities menu, choose Disk Utility. Don't click Continue.
Select your Mac OS X disk (named "Macintosh HD" by default) in the left side of the Disk Utility window.
Click the First Aid tab.
Click Repair Disk to verify and repair any issues with your Mac OS X startup disk.
After repairing the disk, try to start up normally.
Important: If Disk Utility finds issues it cannot repair, you may need to back up as much of your data as possible (or use Time Machine to back up to a different disk), then erase the disk and reinstall Mac OS X. You should back up important files and data before erasing a drive. Erasing deletes everything on the hard disk (including things on your desktop). Also, you can install Mac OS X onto an external disk, start from the external disk, and use Migration Assistant to transfer items from your usual internal Mac OS X startup disk to the external disk, then erase the internal disk and reinstall Mac OS X.
If the issue persists, and Disk Utility didn't find any irreparable issues, quit Disk Utility, quit the Installer, select your disk when prompted, and restart.
If the issue continues, reset PRAM. Note: After resetting PRAM, if the computer starts up normally, reselect the startup disk in the Startup Disk preferences.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, start up from the Mac OS X Installation disc and reinstall Mac OS X.
Regards,
Sterling

Hi, I have a mid 2010 with 17.5 inc screen. My os is 10.6 snow l. I went apple to download 10.8 os . Download went good. During installation my Mac shut off. Now I get a white screen with a folder that has ? In it. Please help

Hi,
I have mid 2010 iMac 17.5 screen with os 10.6. Went to apple site and downloaded 10.8 for 20 dollars. Here is my first question, did download the wrong thing.
The download went good. My iMac restarted an started installation halfway trough it shut my Mac off. Now when I start my Mac up all that shows up is a white screen that has a folder with a question mark in it. Please help, I don't know if I downloaded the wrong thing or if something else is wrong.

http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US
"Select your Mac OS X startup disk with Startup Manager by restarting and holding the Option key. After your Mac starts up, restart again to verify that the flashing question mark does not appear."

My 2011 iMac wont boot up and stuck on white screen with flashing folder and question mark ???

Im running Lion OS and I made update after it asks me to restart the iMac when i pressed restart it never boots again :S please help and how i can get my data back

Try starting the it by holding down the shift key (safe mode) if it starts then check your hard drive with disk utility. Also repair your disk permissions. If you are unable to start the computer try Lion recovery mode.

White screen with flashing file icon with question mark mean

What does this mean. We are getting a white screen with flashing file icon with question mark inside the file.

It almost certainly means it can't find a bootable volume (one with OS X on it).
Which means most likely you will have to find your original system installation DVD and install it. Then you should figure out what caused the problem.
Read this to diagnose it before resorting to reinstalling the OS:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440
Excerpt:
Additional steps
If your Mac still starts to a flashing question mark, follow the steps below. If any step resolves the issue, you don't need to continue to the next one.
Select your Mac OS X startup disk with Startup Manager by restarting and holding the Option key. After your Mac starts up, restart again to verify that the flashing question mark does not appear.
If the issue persists, insert your Mac OS X installation disc. Be sure to either use the disc that came with your Mac, or, if you installed a later Mac OS X version from disc, use the newer disc.
MacBook Air note: On a MacBook Air, there are two options for starting up from Mac OS X media: Either connect a MacBook Air SuperDrive to the MacBook Air via the USB port and restart the computer, holding down the C key during startup, or use Remote Install Mac OS X to startup from a system software DVD that's located on a partner computer. Once started up from Mac OS X media, skip to step 3.
Restart the computer, then hold the C key during startup.
From the Utilities menu, choose Disk Utility. Don't click Continue.
Select your Mac OS X disk (named "Macintosh HD" by default) in the left side of the Disk Utility window.
Click the First Aid tab.
Click Repair Disk to verify and repair any issues with your Mac OS X startup disk.
After repairing the disk, try to start up normally.
Important: If Disk Utility finds issues it cannot repair, you may need to back up as much of your data as possible (or use Time Machine to back up to a different disk), then erase the disk and reinstall Mac OS X. You should back up important files and data before erasing a drive. Erasing deletes everything on the hard disk (including things on your desktop). Also, you can install Mac OS X onto an external disk, start from the external disk, and use Migration Assistant to transfer items from your usual internal Mac OS X startup disk to the external disk, then erase the internal disk and reinstall Mac OS X.
If the issue persists, and Disk Utility didn't find any irreparable issues, quit Disk Utility, quit the Installer, select your disk when prompted, and restart.
If the issue continues, reset PRAM. Note: After resetting PRAM, if the computer starts up normally, reselect the startup disk in the Startup Disk preferences.
If none of these steps resolve the issue, start up from the Mac OS X Installation disc and reinstall Mac OS X.

White screen with flashing question mark

AAll I get is white screen with flashing question mark. I've inserted OS disc but it won't run. Can anyone help plz?

A flashing question mark or globe appears when you start your Mac

My imac at start up only gets white screen with a folder with a question mark flashing.

My imac gets a white sceen with a folder with a question mark flashing.

Here's the apple article on the issue:
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440?viewlocale=en_US
Regards,
Captfred

White screen with file folder with question mark flashing?

My iMac wont start. I get a white screen with a file folder. In the file folder is a ?, flashing.

What operating system do you use? If you use Lion, boot in recovery mode (Command and R buttons) and open Disk Utility to see if your hard drive is detected, and if it's detected, click "Verify Disk". If you use Snow Leopard or early, boot from your install DVD, click "Utilities" and open Disk Utility to do the same as for Lion. It sounds like your Mac doesn't have a bootable device, so it could be a lot of things (hard drive broken or formatted, hardware error, etc.). If this doesn't work, reinstall your operating system

MacBook Pro won't boot at start. I get a white screen with a blinking folder with a question mark in the middle. Any ideas?

MacBook Pro won't boot at start. I get a white screen with a blinking folder with a question mark in the middle. Any ideas?

Read this article...
http://support.apple.com/kb/TS1440?viewlocale=en_US&locale=en_US

I messed up badly by trying to restore my brand new macbook pro by doing restart then command R and choose disc utility repair now when I start ,all I get is the white screen with a folder and a question mark,What can I do???help please

I messed up badly by trying to restore my brand new macbook pro by doing restart then command R and choose disc utility repair now when I start ,all I get is the white screen with a folder and a question mark,What can I do???help please

Can you still boot to the Recovery partition using Command and R whilst booting? Or did you wipe the Recovery partition as well?
If your Recovery partition is still intact, you can simply boot to it and reinstall the OS via the Internet. If you wiped the Recovery partition, you can hold down Command, option and R keys whilst booting and boot into true Internet Recovery mode. You'll be able to reformat the hard drive, erasing all partitions (format it as "Mac OS Extended (Journaled)" with a dingle GUID partition) and then reinstall the OS that shipped with your machine.
Note that you should use a physical Ethernet connection when restoring over the Internet - it's three times slower if you use wifi.
Try your Recovery partition first and if that doesn't work, use Internet Recovery.
Clinton

2006 iMAC-on startup I get a white screen with a file folder with ? in the middle, what can I do?

White screen with file folder symbol (? in middle) that flashes, what is the problem? How can I fix it?

Do you have a recent backup of your iMac? If not, then, you can proceed with the following with caution.
DO NOT FORMAT YOUR HARD DRIVE AT ANY STAGE.
Startup your iMac from the original DVDs.
Launch Disk Utility and run Verify Disk.
Repair Disk if advised to.
If Disk Utility cannot Repair your disk, and you don't have a recent backup, you can try DiskWarrior to rebuild your disk and retrieve your data.
Report back after running Disk Utility if you have no joy.

OH when booting up " just grey screen with flashing folder with " ?" mark

OH what to do know. I have been trying to install SL on my white dual core intel computer for days. I have tried all sorts of things, DU verifiy, fix permissions--all of which pronounce my HD verified and O.K. Even tried Disk warrior that went o.k. I have even managed to begin to install SL and got to " start to install" and it actually progressed thru the installing screen --so it says installing Mac Osx on Mac HD and the blue progress bar says ' TIME REMAINING' 23 MINUTES then it seems to stop and then says " INSTALLED FAILED" THE INSTALLER ENCOUNTERED AN ERROR THAT CAUSED INSTALLATION TO FAIL" CONTACT THE SOFTWARE MANUFACTURER FOR ASSISTANCE"
NOW the problem is
upon startup> after the " chime" i get a grey screen with a folder with a ? mark flashing
please advise
thanks

That means it isn't finding a startup disk...have you tried starting up while holding the Option key? That will show the bootable volumes. If there are none, then you may try starting from the old 10.5 install disk, assuming you still have it.
Also, have you tried to startup in Safe Mode? Holding the Shift key as soon AFTER the startup tone as you can, and if so, what did you get?
Message was edited by: Ralph Landry1

Getting a white screen with flashing ? folder.

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